Feeding and blending machine.



PATBNTED JAN. 30, 1906.

C. W. CASE, JR. FEEDING AND BLENDING MACHINE.

APPLIOATION FILED JUNE 1.1905.

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R 0 9 1 0 3 N A J D E T N E T A D um J E S A U W G 2 8 1 1 8 n" N FEEDING AND BLENDING MACHINE.

APPLIUATION FILED JUNE 1,1905.

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WITNESSES."

' the rotary shaft of the hopper-agitator de- UNITE il FEEDlNG AND BLENDIING MACHBNE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

1905. Serial No. 263,302.

No. 811,482. Patented Jan. 30, 1906.

Application filed June 1,

To all whont it may concern:

Be it known that 1, CHARLES W. OAsn, Jr, residing at New Orleans, in the parish of Orleans and State of Louisiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Feeding and Blending Machines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in feeding and blending machines in which means are provided for feeding and mixing various materials-such as clean rice,bran, meal, flour,and the like-- and in which means are provided for positively regulating the feed without stopping the movement of the agitator devices which are used in connection with the hoppers containing the materials.

Generically my invention comprises a plurality of hoppers mounted on a suitable frame and discharging into a common box or receiver, in which box or receiver means are rovided for mixing and conveying the material to the point of outlet. Each hopper includes an internallyoperating agitating mechanism including a rotary shaft carrying agitator-arms, and means are provided for cooperatively connecting the agitator-shafts of the respective hoppers to operate in unison,

cate like parts in all of the figures, my inframe 1, upon which a series of hoppers 2 is mounted. Each hopper 2 is of like construction, and a detailed description of one, it is thought, will suffice. The hopper 2 comprises a body or receptacle 2, of galvanized iron, whose bottom 2 is of conical shape and joins with an ofl'takespout 2, which discharges into the conveyer-box 10, hereinafter again referred to. The spout 2 is provided with a sliding door or gate, as shown, to permit the ready access to the interior of the spout whenever it may be found desirable. Each hopper 2 has a cover 2 and is provided near its top with a cross-brace 3, which has a central bearing 3, and the said hopper is also rovided near its bottom with a second crossrace 4, which is likewise provided with a central bearing M, as shown. Rotatably mounted on the bearings 3 and 45 of the cross-braces 3 and 4, respectively, is a hollow or tubular shaft 5, which carries a wormwheel 6 at its upper end to mesh with a wormgear 11 upon the shaft 11, which is journaled in bearings 1 on the frame 1 and is common to all of the hoppers. The shaft 11 has a sprocket 1 1 at one end, over which a drive-chain 12, hereinafter again referred to, passes. At the bottom, below the brace 4, a collar 7 is adjustably and detachably secured to the shaft 5 by a setscrew, which collar carries a plurality of downwardly and divergingly extending agitatorarms 7 7 as shown. Above the brace 4 and below the brace 23 and arranged at suitable intervals apart I attach to the shaft 5 by the collar 8 and set-screw 8 a plurality of adjustable agitator-arms 8 as clearly shown in Fig. 3.

As above stated, the shaft 5 is hollow or of tubular form, and the said shaft receives the valve stem or rod 9 which projects up beyond the worm-wheel 6 and has such projecting end threaded, as at 9, to receive the adjusting turn-wheel 9, by means of which the valve can be raised or lowered from its seat to any desired distance to permit the outflow of the material within the hoppers. At the lower end the stem orrod 9 is threaded, as at 9, to receive the threaded hub 9 of a conical or bell-shape portion 9' of the valve 9, which portion 9 has an open bottom closable by a bottom disk 9 which may also screw on the rod 9 and which is held in and means are also provided for driving the conveyer and the agitator-operating devices.

My invention also includes an improved adjustable valve having a stem passing through vice and means for adjusting said valve without interfering with the operation of the agitator-shaft, the agitator-shaft and the valvestem being connected to rotate together.

With other objects in view than have been heretofore enumerated the invention comprises certain novel construction, operation, combination, and arrangement of parts, all of which will be first described in detail and then specifically pointed out in. the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a top plan view of my inven tion. Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof. Fig 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a top plan view of a slightly-,modified form of my invention. Fig. 5 is a side elevation thereof, parts being shown in section. to better illustrate the invention.

Referring now to the accompanying drawlace by a check-nut 9". (See Fig. 3.) The ings in which. like numerals of reference indirod 9 has a pm 9 winch projects through vention, it will be seen,includes a supporting- IIO rious hoppers,

a slot 5 in the shaft 5 to permit the shaft 5 and the rod 9* to turn together, but which is so arranged as to permit a lon itudinal adjustment of therod 9 within t e shaft'5.

Arranged within the conveyer-box 10'is a longitudinal shaft 13, which projects out through the ends of the box 10 and carries at one end a sprocket 13*, over which the chain 12 passes, and the shaft 13 carries a drivepulley 13 at its other end, by means of which motion is imparted to the shaft 13 and from thence to the shaft 11 and to the shafts 5 within the respective hoppers.

14 designates a worm or screw on the shaft 13 within the box 10 for conveying the materials from under the discharge-spouts of the hoppers to the outlet-opening 10 of the box 10, a plurality of arms or pins 15 being secured to the shaft 13 at suitable intervals to serve as a mixing means for the different materials discharged into the box from the vaso that the materials will be blended or mixed before they are discharged through the outlet-apertures 10 of the box 10.

By providing the particular form of valve and agitating mechanism disclosed hereinI am enabled to readily adjust the valve to its different positions during the operation of the complete apparatus without stopping the movement of the shafts 5, 11, and 13, thus enabling a more ing of the material, as the adjustment can be made while the material is discharging from the box 10, samples of which can be taken and the adjustment of the various valves continued until the desired blending is obtained, after which the material discharged from the box 10 will be of the desired kind.

Figs. 4 and 5 show a slightly-modified form of my invention in which I rovide a plurality of hoppers 2 2, each of which is provided with a valve 9 of similar construction to that shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings, but which are not provided mechanism.' These hoppers into a common hopper 20 of like construction to the hopper 2 (shown in Fig. 3) and which is provided with the valve devices 9 and the agitator mechanism, which is driven by the worm-gears 11 on the shaft 11 in a manner similar to that in the preferred form of my invention, and when the form shown in Figs. 4 and 5 is used I dispense with the box 10.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, it isthought the complete construction, operation, and many advantages of my invention will be readily understood by those skilled in the art to which it appertains.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. An apparatus of the class described, comprising a plurality of hoppers, each having accurate feeding and blendwith agitator. 2 2 discharge discharge-spouts, a receptacle into which said hoppers discharge, one or more of said hoppers including a conical bottom and a discharge-outlet, a pair of brace members having central bearings and secured within the hoppers, a hollow shaft held in the central earings of said braces and projecting out through the top of the hopper, a gear-wheel on the projecting end of the hollow shaft, a plurality of agitating-arms adjustably secured to said hollow shaft between the braces, a collar deta'chably secured to said hollow shaft below the lower brace, diverging arms formed with said collar and projecting downwardly therefrom, a valve for closing the discharge-spout of the hopper, a valve stem passing through said hollow rod and having ing a bell-shaped portion adapted to screw on the threaded end of said stem, a bottom disk on said stem and a nut on said stem for its lower end threaded, said valve compris- Y securing the bottom disk in position, said stem having its other end projecting beyond the outer end of the hollow shaft, and provided with a screw-thread, a turn-wheel having a threaded hub mounted on said stem beyond the outer end of the hollow shaft for adjusting the stem within the hollow shaft, and means for securing the valve-stem and the hollow shaft to rotate together.

2. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination with a receiving-box, a conveyer and mixing means therein, of a plurality of hoppers discharging into said box, each of said hoppers comprising a receptacle having a discharge-outlet, a valve within the receptacle for closing said discharge-outlet, a hollow rotatable'shaft having arms mounted within the receptacle, means for operating said shaft and said conveyer, and means controlled from the outside of the receptacle and passing through said hollow shaft for operating said valve. I

3. An apparatus of the class described comprising a plurality of hoppers each having discharge-spouts, a box into which said hoppers discharge, a screw conveyer in said box, mixing-spikes on the conveyershaft, means for driving said conveyer, said hoppers each agitating devices within the same, each of said agitating devices comprising a hollow shaft, a plurality of arms adjustably mounted thereon, a worm-gear shaft having worm-gears for meshing with the wormwheels of the agitating-shafts, means for cooperatively connecting said worm-gear shaft to said conveyershaft, a valve within each hopper for closing the discharge-spout thereof, means passing through the hollow shaft of each hopper and controlled from without the hopper for adjusting said valve.

4. An apparatus of the class described comhaving prising a plurality of hoppers. each having discharge-spouts, a box into which said hoppers discharge, a screw conveyer in said box,

lIO

3 5 ing-arms adjustably secured mixing-spikes on the conveyer-shaft, means for driving said conveyer, said hoppers each having agitating devices within the same, each of sa1d agitating devices comprising a 5 hollow shaft, a plurality of arms adjustably mounted thereon, a worm-wheel on the end of said. shaft without the hoppers, a wormgear shaft having worm-gears for meshing with the worm wheels of the agitating- 1o shafts, means for cooperatively connecting said worm-gear shaft to said conveyer-shaft, a valve within each hopper for closing the discharge-spout thereof, means passing through the hollow shaft of each hopper and controlled from without the hopper for adjusting said valve, and means for connecting said last-named means and said hollow shaft to rotate together.

5. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination with a mixing-box,

a conveyer therein, and means for driving said conveyer, of a plurality of hoppers having discharge-spouts discharging into said box, each of said hoppers comprising a body portion, a conical bottom having a discharge aperture connected to the discharge-spout of the hopper, a sliding gate for the discharge spout of the hopper, a pair of brace members having central bearings and secured within 0 the hoppers, a cover for said hoppers, a hollow shaft held in the central bearings of said braces and projecting out through the top of the hopper, a gear-wheel on said projecting end of the hollow shaft, a plurality of agitatto said hollow shaft between the braces, a collar detachably secured to said hollow shaft below the lower brace. diverging arms formed with said collar and pro ecting downwarc y t ere rom, a valve for closing the discharge-spout of the hoppers, a valve-stem passing through said hollow rod and having its lower end threaded, said valve comprising a bell-shaped portion adapted to screw on the threaded end of said stem, a bottom disk on said stem and a nut on said stem for securing said bottom disk in position, said stem having its other end projecting beyond the outer end of the hollow shaft and provided with a screwthread, a turn-wheel having a threaded hub mounted on said stem beyond the outer end of the hollow shaft for adjusting the stem within the hollow shaft, and means for securing the valve-stem and the hollow shaft to rotate together, substantially as shown and de- 5 5 scribed.

6. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination with a mixing-box, a conveyer therein, and means for driving said conveyer, of a plurality of hoppers havbe ing discharge spouts discharging into said box, each of said hoppers comprising a body portion, a conical bottom having a dischargeaperture connected to the discharge-spout of the hopper,

spout of the hopper, a pair of brace members having central bearings and secured within the hoppers, a cover for said hopper, a hollow shaft held in the central bearings of said braces and projecting out through the top of the hopper, a gear-wheel on said pro ecting end of the hollow shaft, a plurality of agitating-arms adjustably secured to said hollow shaft between the braces, a collar detachably secured to said hollow shaft below the lower 7 5 brace, diverging arms formed with said collar and projecting downwardly therefrom, a valve for closing the discharge-spout of the hoppers, a valve-stem passing through said ho 10 said valve comprising a bell-shaped portion adapted to screw on the threaded end of said stem, a bottom disk on said stem and a nut on said stem for securing said bottom disk in position, said stem having its other end pro- 85 jecting through a slot in the hollow shaft, 5

and means for imparting motion to the gear secured to the hollow shaft to rotate the same substantially as shown and described.

CHARLES W. CASE, JR. Witnesses:

F. T. DAURIS, H. L. BURTON a sliding gate for the discharge- 65 w rod and having its lower end threaded,

7121. rm (Jinn-+111 Hm .qtam Within the O 

